5 Things you Must Do When Visiting New Orleans

New Orleans is an all-American city full of Old World charm. In this brief article, we’ll take a look at the five main attractions you should take in the next time you visit “The City That Care Forgot.”

Take a Streetcar

First off, hop on one of New Orleans’ famous streetcars and go for a ride around the city. Not only is a streetcar ride an experience in itself, it will also help better acquaint you with the layout of this city. The oldest streetcars in the Big Easy are on the St. Charles Avenue line, but you can also take a ride on the Canal Street line.

Walk Around the French Quarter

The French Quarter is about as close as you’ll get to Paris in North America. This famous district is the oldest and most stylish in the entire city. There are tons of jazz clubs, specialty shops, bars, and museums to take in as you admire the stunning 18th century French and Spanish colonial architecture all around you. St. Louis Cathedral, right in the center of the French Quarter, is perhaps the most significant attraction in all of New Orleans. The best-known street in this district is Bourbon Street, which is often jam-packed with drunken revelers letting the good times roll.

Tour the Garden District

Southwest of the French Quarter is New Orleans’ Garden District. This peaceful area is a great respite from the hustle and bustle of Bourbon Street. While walking around here you can’t help but admire the residential homes, gardens, and luscious ivies. Besides the antiques shops and cafés all around here, you’ll also find one of the cities most popular cemeteries: Lafayette Cemetery No. 1.

Take a Swamp Tour

There are numerous tour companies in New Orleans that take adventurous tourists into the mythic bayou region. These bayous have played an important role in the development, economy, and culture of the region. For one thing, most of the area’s crawfish and shrimp come right from these bayous. Guides will teach you everything you need to know about the history and ecology of these unique marshy outlets. Depending on your skill level, you can opt for a boat or a kayak trip through these wondrous wetlands. Just be forewarned, there are tons of snakes, crocodiles, and alligators all throughout this region.

Go On A Haunted Tour

New Orleans is famous for its ghost stories, phantom sightings, and voodoo culture. If you feel up to it, why not take a ghost tour of the city at night? You can learn all about the secrets of magic, spirits, and voodoo as your mysterious guide takes you on a ride through the Big Easy’s haunted homes after dark. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, these tour guides will let in in on some extremely interesting New Orleans lore that you’ll never find in your history textbook.

Even if you aren’t visiting during Mardi Gras season, there’s always something going on in this energetic city. Visitors come from around the world to enjoy this city’s live jazz music, Southern cuisine, and French sophistication.